Cameras

The California Museum of Photography's camera collection has grown from the original gift of 2,000 vintage cameras donated by Dr. Robert Bingham in 1973 to a current count of 10,000 cameras, viewing devices, and photographic apparatus. The collection includes encyclopedic collection of Zeiss, Polaroid, Ihagee-Exacta, and Kodak Brownie cameras. Other significant artifacts include a Lewis daguerreian camera, a Simon Wing multi-lens wet-plate camera, a fully functioning Caille Brothers Cail-O-Scope, and a Ponti megalethoscope. This is the most complete and actively used public camera collection in the western states.

Although these objects are not cameras, they were essential tools in photographic picture-making. The CMP's collection of equipment and accessories includes a variety of meters, flash units, and darkroom equipment.

Folding cameras have bellows that fold into a compact package for storage, such as a folding bed, folding plate, or folding strut camera. Examples include Kodak's folding pocket cameras and Zeiss Ikontas.

Novelty cameras are toy cameras made for children or promotional purposes, and are often in the shape of another object. Photographica are non-camera objects that relate to the camera collection, such as promotional giveaways and branded merchandise, as well as camera-shaped objects and collectables.

Reflex cameras include both single-len reflex (SLR) and twin-len reflex (TLR) cameras. The reflex focusing mechanism allows for more precise visualization of the image in the viewfinder than point-and-shoot, rangefinder, and viewfinder cameras. Reflex cameras include Hasselblads and Zeiss Contaflex cameras.

Three-color cameras allow for the simultaneous production of three monochrome negatives, filtered for red, green, and blue light. These negatives could then be printed as a full color image, before color films were commercially available.